We Art One

For the 13 Master of Architecture students charged with designing a public art project this fall, the toughest thing to build was consensus. After spending nearly two weeks with course instructor Rob Trumbour seeking out inspiration in the art and landscape of locations in Texas, New York, and Boston, the group sat down to hash out a collective vision. “The only thing harder than climbing 2,500 feet to the tallest peak in Big Bend National Park—on a trail lined with bears and mountain lions—was getting thirteen people to agree on a single cohesive idea,” says Patrick Schulz, BSA ’11, MARC ’12. The representation of their experiences: an interactive art installation constructed from 100 sheets of plywood and 3,750 feet of steel, featuring 255 interconnected objects ranging in height from 9 to 20 feet. And while Schulz and his classmates worked hard to unify their visions, he says the installation’s placement at the Boston Society of Architects’ new Atlantic Wharf office building offers visitors a subjective experience. “Because of the juxtaposition of the space—brick buildings on one side and the vastness of the water on the other—the experience is different for everyone depending on how they approach it.” —JULIE BARR